There will always be room for golf clubs in Jack Orr’s travels.
The Bishop Eustace Preparatory School senior has made incredible strides on the golf course over the last few high school seasons, but he doesn’t plan on competing in college. School comes first.
“I’m going to the University of Miami, and they don’t have a golf team,” he said. “But if they start one, I’ll be there to put my name down on the paper.”
Orr said he chose Miami for several reasons, but mostly because it lined up with his plans to pursue a career in finance. Golf will become recreational.
“The warm weather helps,” said Orr, who is a National Honors Society student. “But they have really good academics that are good for my major. And there are lots of courses in Florida, so I can still play for fun.”
Before then, Orr plans on squeezing every last bit of fun out of his final high school golf season. He showed just how good he can be with another top-five finish at the Camden County Championships at the Legacy Club at Woodcrest in Cherry Hill on April 24.
Orr shot a 79, which was good enough for a tie for fourth place out of 84 individuals. Last year, Orr won the tournament for his first major high school win. Not bad for a guy that swam and played baseball until freshman year of high school. He only picked up the golf clubs about three years ago, learning under coach Nick Dentino at Little Mill Country Club in Evesham.
It wasn’t quite beginner’s luck. Orr was a fast learner, and his technique just seemed to click early. It also helps that he can launch his drive about 275 yards on average.
“When I started playing, I was better than all the old guys at Little Mill,” Orr said with a laugh. “And I just kept practicing and did pretty well at junior tournaments.”
His success has continued well into his high school years. So far this season for Bishop Eustace, Orr is averaging about two strokes over par in nine-hole dual meets and he has finished with the match’s best score three times in the Crusaders’ five outings through April 24. Due to the Crusaders facing some of the toughest opponents they could find, the wins haven’t been easy to come by. But there were a lot of laughs to go along with some great shots.
“It’s a great group,” Orr said of Aiden Devine, Sam Morris and Jackson Adams, who played alongside him at the county championships. “For my senior year, I just want to have fun out there and not worry about what happens and just try my best not to make bogeys.”
Those teammates will be only a phone call away to play a round of 18 on college break. He also has his older brother, Harrison, who played for the Crusaders before graduating last year. And Orr’s dad also likes to hit the links.
“Oh yeah, my dad is a big-time golfer,” Orr said.
Who’s better?
“I am,” Orr said with a smile. “But he’s accepted it; I’ve beaten him for a few years now. But when we play a match, I don’t give him any strokes.”
Tournament Roundup
Tournament Roundup
Of 22 teams that competed in the Camden County Tournament, Camden Catholic finished in third place in team scoring behind Haddonfield and Cherry Hill East, respectively. The Fighting Irish’s team of Chance Blanchard, Riley Palomata, Aidan Riley and Matt Marino finished just 18 team strokes off the lead, finishing with a 347, which was a combined 63-over-par.
Bishop Eustace placed sixth with a score of 375, while Paul VI tied for seventh (381) and Gloucester Catholic (405) finished in 12th.
Individually, Paul VI’s Matt Duphorn shot an 11-over-par 82, which tied for eighth-place, while Riley and Blanchard each shot an 85, tying for 12th for the Irish. Their teammate Palomata tied for 15th with an 86.
Paul VI’s girls team of Danni Hennessy, Annalise Capoli, Natalya Slonis and Sophia Greenwood finished with the second-best girls score, just nine strokes back of Eastern.
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